UN Agency In Gaza Voices Deep Concern Over Escalation

New York, Nov
15 2012 2:10PM The United Nations agency assisting
Palestinian refugees today voiced its deep concern over the
escalation of violence in Gaza, noting that it puts
civilians there and in Israel at risk.

"We support the
calls of the Secretary-General for an immediate
de-escalation of tensions and his demand that both sides
should do everything to avoid further escalation and must
respect their obligations under international humanitarian
law to ensure the protection of civilians at all times," the
UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA) added in a news release.

In addition to calling
for an immediate de-escalation earlier this week,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned attacks by
Palestinian militants targeting Israel and called on Israel
to exercise maximum restraint.

The new wave of violence in
Gaza and southern Israel has resulted in several people
being killed or wounded on both sides.

UNRWA has over one
million beneficiaries in Gaza, where, earlier Thursday, one
of its staff members was killed in an Israeli airstrike in
the north.

The relief agency said that reports indicate
that Marwan Abu El Qumsan - an Arabic teacher in his fifties
at UNRWA's Preparatory Boys School in the city of Jabalia,
in northern Gaza - was in a car near the scene of an air
strike at the time of his death; his brother, who was with
him in the car, was severely injured. UNRWA also expressed
its condolences over Mr. El Qumsum's death.

Separately, an
UNWRA spokesperson in Gaza, Adnan Abu Hasna, said that the
agency had closed its schools temporarily due to the
violence.

"There will be no schools as long as the
situation remains dangerous and the air strikes continue.
The students will be in danger, that's why UNRWA has decided
to suspend the work in its educational institutions until
further notice," Mr. Hasna told UN Radio.

He added that
the agency's international staff members continue with their
work, noting that staff had entered Gaza today to help with
emergency operations.

Also today, the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted that
the continuous waves of airstrikes and indiscriminate rocket
fire have triggered widespread fear among the civilian
population in Gaza and southern Israel, especially amongst
children.

In particular, OCHA added, the humanitarian
situation remains precarious, with widespread panic amongst
the population in Gaza, stockpiling of food and fuel, low
levels of drug and medical supplies and the closure of
crossings for humanitarian goods. In southern Israel, all
schools within a 40 kilometre radius of the border with Gaza
are closed and movement is limited.

OCHA said that all
parties must uphold their obligations under international
humanitarian law to spare civilians from the effects of
hostilities, in accordance with the principles of
distinction and proportionality.

On Wednesday,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke by telephone with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian
President Mohamed Morsy about the situation in Gaza and
southern Israel.

He expressed his concern to Mr.
Netanyahu about the deteriorating situation, which in
addition to the increase of indiscriminate rocket fire from
Gaza into Israel, includes the targeted killing by Israel of
a Hamas military operative in Gaza.

Ahmed Said Khalil
al-Jabari, the head of the military wing of the Palestinian
group Hamas which controls Gaza, was killed when his car was
reportedly targeted during Israeli air strikes on the
territory, following a wave of rocket attacks against Israel
from Gaza.

In the telephone call, the UN chief also noted
his expectation that Israeli reactions are measured so as
not to provoke a new cycle of bloodshed that could cause
additional civilian casualties and have dangerous spillover
effects in the region. He also called for the parties to
exercise the utmost restraint and to respect international
humanitarian law.

In his call with President Morsy, the
Secretary-General stated the need to prevent any further
deterioration of the situation, and expressed strong support
for the leadership being exercised by Egypt to restore calm
in the region.

The Security Council also met on the issue
on Wednesday night behind closed doors. Nov 15 2012 2:10PM
________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

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